Mike and James
by DonaldDouglasandToby6
Summary: After an accident, James is sent to work on The Little Western. But when James meets Mike, their hot-headed personalities clash and they soon dislike each other.


Douglas rolled his eyes as he backed down into Tidmouth.

"Rosie?! Where are ye, lass?" he called, "I have to bring back empty trucks to take to the ballast chute!"

"Over here, but I have to shunt these vans out of the way." Rosie said.

The Caledonian twin groaned in fury as Rosie was coupled up to the empty trucks.

Soon, Rosie was finished and the guard blew his whistle.

"Have a safe journey!" called Rosie.

"Sure, I suppose." said Douglas as he chuffed out of the station.

Soon, Douglas was chuffing along Tidmouth Beach, towards Tidmouth Hault.

"I just hope Mike isn't in such a bad mood today; he just throws more drama." Douglas muttered.

But there was trouble ahead; up the line was a sharp bend that lead through a tunnel into Tidmouth Hault, and Douglas was going much too fast.

His driver leaned out of the window and gasped.

He acted fast, pulling the brake lever.

"What's going on?" asked Douglas, then he noticed the curve.

"Watch out!" cried the fireman and Douglas' crew jumped clear as Douglas raced around the bend.

Unable to balance, he tipped over and lay on the beach, bruised yet not amused.

"Oh no!" cried Douglas, 'What am I supposed to do now?!"

The driver spotted a telephone nearby and quickly called for help.

Back at the yard, Donald was shunting trucks alongside Rocky when the yardmaster came.

"Donald, you and Rocky have to go save Douglas from an accident along the coast. James will take care of these trucks."

"Yes, sir." Donald whistled, "Come on Rocky, we've no time to lose!"

"Indeed!" said Rocky determinedly.

Soon Donald and Rocky made their way out of the yard.

A few minutes later, Donald arrived with Rocky at Tidmouth Beach.

Donald was horrified to see his twin in such a condition.

"Oh my Douglas!" cried Rocky, "Are you alright?"

"Och, do I look alright?!" grumbled Douglas.

Rocky gulped.

"Erm... no?"

"Then get me back on that flatbed!" Douglas cried.

"Yes... Of course." said Rocky uncertainly as he lifted Douglas' tender onto a flatbed, then lifted Douglas himself.

"Alright Douggie. Let's get ye to the Steamworks." Donald said.

"Whatever..."

So Donald and Rocky, with Douglas, set off for Crovan's Gate.

At Arlesburgh Sheds that night, Duck puffed into the sheds.

"Did you hear about the accident, Oliver?" asked Duck.

"Indeed. Needless to say, I'm a little worried." Oliver said.

"I'm a bit worried myself. Who's going to take Douglas' place?" Duck replied.

"Search me. I guess we're going to find out though." said Donald.

Just then the Fat Controller arrived in his car.

He got out, looking quite concerned.

"Douglas is at the Steamworks being repaired, as you all know. Meanwhile, I shall send an engine to take his place. Don't worry; your line is in good hands."

"But who, sir?" asked Duck, "I can't exactly just be fine with some random engine coming without some clarification."

"I'll-"

Before the Fat Controller could finish, something buzzed in his pocket.

"Sorry you three, but Lady Hatt wants me back at my house. Something to do with the schedule sheet for tomorrow. I suppose you'll just have to find out who it is. A guessing game, I guess. Won't that be fun?" and the Fat Controller drove away.

"...plenty of fun." groaned Oliver.

"I just hope it's not a rude engine... The last thing we need is more junk coming our way." murmured Donald.

The next day, Duck was waiting at Tidmouth Station waiting for his guaranteed connection with Bertie.

"I hope he's not late. He has to arrive in the next five minutes or else he'll be in trouble." Duck sighed.

"I know, Duck, but just be patient." said Alice.

"You don't want to lose your temper." agreed Mirabel.

"Sorry you two... I guess it's just my nerves getting to me." Duck admitted.

Suddenly a red bus hurried into the station.

Bertie honked his horn continuously.

"I'm here, I'm here! Am I late?" asked Bertie.

"Just made it." chuckled Duck, "What was up with your timing?"

"Oh, uh... Traffic. You know how it is."

"Ah." grinned Duck.

A loud whistle ran through the station.

"Is that... James?" Duck asked worriedly.

"Oh yes, I forgot to tell you. On my way here, I overheard a conversation with the Fat Controller. Apparently, James is going to work in Douglas' place." Bertie said.

The red engine in question huffed into the station with some empty ballast wagons, and he looked very cross.

Duck groaned as James puffed by.

"Is something wrong, Duck?" Bertie asked.

"Yes; I just don't feel comfortable with that red engine here!"

"Why?" said Bertie.

"James has already caused enough ruckus on the line before," grumbled Duck, "It's still my line, and it's not fair _he_ gets chosen. Molly or another engine would've been more trustworthy..." Duck sighed and he puffed away to his branch line with Alice and Mirabel rattling behind.

"Well, I suppose he has a point." murmured Bertie, "James isn't... the kindest of engines."

James was not pleased with going on the branch line either. "It's not fair! I'm a fabulous red engine who hates trucks!" he grumbled. His driver rolled his eyes.

"Come on James, we've been through this."

"No; I refuse to like trucks or work on this salty branch line!" James grumbled.

The driver just sighed and shook his head as James rattled along the line.

At Arlesburgh Junction, Mike was on the chute, waiting for James.

"Where's Douglas?" Mike fumed.

"Didn't you hear? Douglas has been in an accident." Bert explained, who was collecting some passengers.

"Oh joy; one of the big engines crashed; so now what are we supposed to do?" mumbled Mike, "I can't stay up here forever..."

"Nobody told you to." grinned Bert.

Before Mike could angrily reply, a loud whistle sounded; a whistle the two engines had never heard before.

"Who is that?" wondered Bert.

A red engine with a large number five on his tender puffed in, with a train of empty ballast wagons.

Mike looked down.

"And... who are you exactly?"

"I'm James, the most splendid red engine on Sodor and don't you forget it!" James said indeterminably.

Mike was cross.

"Nonsense! You look more stupid than stylish!" he huffed, "Oh and I'm... Mike."

James was most offended.

"Oh, really? Well, you look more like a toy than anything." snorted James.

Mike's temper was in overdrive now.

"That's it!" he fumed.

James just rolled his eyes.

Mike scowled as James shunted his train under the chute.

"Alright Mikey; let the ballast loose." James huffed.

Mike's face was as red as his paintwork.

"Um... Mike?" asked Bert worriedly.

But Mike paid no attention.

"James, you are the most careless engine ever!" Mike exclaimed.

"You don't have enough evidence." snickered James.

"You quiet!" huffed Mike.

James rolled his eyes as the ballast filled up his trucks.

"I hope I don't see _you_ ever again." James said angrily as he puffed away.

"Same to you, hotshot." said Mike.

The next day, James puffed into Arlesburgh Junction again.

"Mike better not be here." James scowled.

"Oh, hello." said a different voice that wasn't Mike's.

James looked over to the miniature track, to see the same blue engine from the other day.

"You're... James? From yesterday?" continued the blue engine.

"Yes... At least one of you treats me with some dignity." James huffed.

"Oh, uh... I'm Bert."

"Why must I be put on ballast duty?" James grumbled, completely ignoring Bert, "Why must Douglas be so inconsiderate?"

"Actually it wasn't his fault." said Bert.

"Pfft." the red engine snorted, "Who's to shunt my trucks?"

"I think it's... Mike again." Bert grimaced.

James was fuming.

"Well, of course that toy would be late!"

Bert just sighed.

Just then, Mike puffed up onto the chute.

"Oh, it's you again." huffed Mike, "At least Douglas was productive."

"At least I'm not ridiculously tiny!" argued James.

Bert just rolled his eyes.

Meanwhile, James could hear the trucks sleeping.

"Ugh, not again..." he moaned and he whistled to attract the trucks' attention.

"Boo!"

"I was dreaming!"

"Let's pay him back!" said the trucks.

They pulled James under the chute.

"On! On! On!"

The ballast fell through the now-open Arlesdale Railway trucks and some of the ballast fell all over James.

"Ugh!" spluttered James as the gravel fell on top of him, "My red paintwork! Darn you trucks!"

Mike snickered at first, then burst out laughing.

Now it was James' turn to blush bright red.

"S-shut up!" he spluttered as he puffed away.

Mike just grinned.

Bert eyed Mike suspiciously.

"I don't suppose you know anything about James' bad attitude?"

Mike scowled at Bert.

"Nonsense! I just laughed at him. What, is laughter illegal now or something?"

Bert just let off steam angrily.

"Sarcasm won't get you anywhere. I know you and James are beginning a rivalry, but you really should just set aside your differences."

Mike snorted.

"Whatever..." and Mike puffed away down the chute.

Bert sighed.

"Trouble's ahead, I just know it..."

At the sheds that night, James was keeping the others awake.

"And then he laughs at me! Me and my paintwork! It's disgusting, those miniature engines!"

"Don't you have anything else to do?" moaned Oliver.

"No; I have to sleep by this salty sea and I have to work with that horrible Mike!"

Duck and Donald looked to each other.

"What did Mike do?" asked Duck.

"I already said so! He laughed at me and purposely made the ballast fall on me!" James huffed.

"Mike isn't the happiest engine, but I doubt he'd do something that ridiculous." retorted Oliver.

"So you don't care about my paint either...?"

"You know James, I think you're getting puffed up in the smokebox!"

James snorted.

"Oliver is quite right James. You really need to shut up once in a while and just allow us some peace..." agreed Donald.

"Do none of you care?!" cried James.

Even Toad in the goods yard could hear James.

"Pardon me, sir, but I think the branch line engines are right... Can you go to sleep Mr. James, or do you have insomnia?" said Toad.

"I don't even know what insomnia is!" replied James.

"It means you can't sleep, sir." said the brakevan.

"Sounds like James alright." snickered Oliver.

James was angrier than ever.

The next morning, Mike was being cockier then ever.

The other small engines weren't at all happy with Mike's consistent attitude.

"I shouldn't pull passengers," he spluttered, "I should only pull trucks!"

Rex was cross.

"I like the passenger coaches just fine Mike. Your red paint is getting to you!"

"I agree with Rex. Coaches and trucks are equally important, Mike. It's alright to have preferences but don't let that get in the way of your work ethic." agreed Bert.

"I have _no_ idea what you just said." said Mike.

"Um... What did you say again?" asked Rex.

Bert just grunted and puffed away.

Mike then bustled away to Arlesburgh.

"Cheer up ol' boy," said his driver, "You are working with trucks! Isn't that delightful?"

Mike sighed and puffed to where James was waiting.

"Hurry up you toy engine!" scowled James.

Mike was crosser then ever before.

"I'll show that big engine that we small engines can do big things!" Mike huffed as he biffed the trucks, too hard and too fast.

The trucks, giggling like maniacs, bashed through the buffers and all over James!

Pieces of truck went everywhere, and so did the ballast.

Luckily his crew jumped clear before the crash, but James was covered in ballast and pieces of truck.

"Ugh! Mike!"

Mike whistled and left, laughing.

The Small Controller was arriving in his car to see how the work was progressing.

But instead he got a huge mess.

"Mike was shunting those trucks... James, what happened?" asked the Small Controller.

"That meanie, Mike, biffed the trucks onto me!" pouted James.

"Mike!" cried the Small Controller.

Mike knew he was in trouble now, and silently gulped.

A while later, Mike was stuck in the shed with Frank.

"I'm bored!" grumbled Frank.

"Shut up..." huffed Mike.

Frank looked over.

"What got into you?"

"Some stupid red engine named James, that's what..."

Frank frowned.

"What's so bad about him?"

"He's obnoxiously vain, claims the color red was his idea, and that he's perfect in every way!" explained Mike, although lies were riddled throughout his explanation.

"Isn't that you, Mike?" teased Frank.

Mike felt his boiler would burst with fury, but luckily for Frank, his driver started him up and he raced away to fetch some workmen to repair the line near Ffarquhar Road.

The red engine was now all by himself.

"Who needs him?" asked Mike angrily.

Just then a man arrived that Mike had never seen before.

Mike was confused.

"What do you want?"

The man grinned and got into Mike's cab.

"Hey, get out of there!" cried Mike.

But the man wasn't listening; he wanted to have some fun.

He blew Mike's whistle and pulled the regulator.

"I'll tell someone!" declared Mike.

But the man had already ran away so nobody would notice him.

Mike felt his wheels starting to move.

At first he wasn't sure what to think.

But then he quickly realized nobody could stop him.

"Help! Help!" he cried in horror as he raced towards Arlesburgh Street Station.

Frank was still making his way to Ffarquhar Road when Mike shot past him on the track alongside.

"What in the blazes is he up to?!" spluttered Frank.

"Wait," cried Frank's driver, "He's not supposed to be out and about. I don't even see a crew in his cab! I think he's a runaway!"

"Oh no!" shouted Frank.

Mike tried frantically to put on his brakes, but he couldn't.

He began to panic even more.

"Please, somebody stop me!" wailed Mike as he started into Arlesburgh Junction.

Rex was loading James' trucks with ballast when they both heard Mike's frantic whistle.

"Rex! Get out of the way!" cried Mike, "I can't stop!"

"Bubbling boilers!" Rex gasped and raced backwards over some points.

The signalman set the points back to the chute and Mike raced over them.

James, realizing Mike was in grave danger, puffed out from under the chute so Mike would fall onto the soft ballast in the trucks.

Mike's eyes widened in horror as he bashed through the just-repaired buffers.

"Aaaahhh!" he screamed as he flew right into James' trucks.

"Mike! Are you all right?" asked James.

"Yes, I think so.." said a bemused Mike.

Just then, Duck arrived with Alice and Mirabel.

His eyes widened in shock.

"James, what on earth happened here?!"

"It was sort of... interesting. Mike somehow became a runaway and I saved him."

Duck was surprised.

"Well... That sounds like an adventure." he said quietly.

"You can say that again." mumbled Mike, but his voice was muffled by the ballast.

"I'll get Rocky," promised Duck as he was uncoupled from his autocoaches.

Soon, Duck was back with the large crane.

"My, oh my, what a mess!" chuckled Rocky, "I'll get you out of there in no time, Mike!"

The chains were wrapped around Mike and his tender was lifted back onto the rails.

Soon, his front was dangling in the air.

He gulped slightly.

"I've got you, Mike." said Rocky as he lifted the red miniature engine back onto his rails.

Now Mike stood by James.

"I'm sorry I was so rude to you. But why did you save me?" asked Mike.

"It would've been a horrible sight to see you crash like that, so I decided to give you a favor." replied James modestly, "And I'm sorry too. You're not a toy at all. You're a Really Useful Engine, despite your... odd size."

Mike and James grinned; they now put their differences behind them and they are now good friends.


End file.
